Canton Holds Off Bullard, 4-3, to Advance to Regional Quarterfinals
TYLER -- The Canton Eagles struck for two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, but had to hold on for dear life in the top half of the seventh.
Canton turned a double play with the bases loaded to earn a hard-fought 4-3 win over Bullard in their Class 4A area one-game playoff Friday evening at Mike Carter Field.
The Eagles (26-5) will take on either Pleasant Grove or Spring Hill next week in the Region II quarterfinals.
Zach Brown broke a 2-2 tie with two outs in the sixth with an RBI double to the right-center field gap that scored Johnnie Krawietz. Tyler Massey followed with a run-scoring single up the middle.
Canton brought on Simon Miller to pitch the seventh. Bullard's Jacob Johnson reached on an error to begin the inning, and moved to second when Nic Costas followed with a walk.
Josh Chewning's fly ball to center field was dropped, allowing Johnson to score and cutting the deficit to a run. Jansen Mattingly then walked to load the bases.
Miller struck out Cleet Bowman, before Peyton Miller's grounder to second base led to the game-ending double play.
Brown went 2-for-2 with three RBIs to lead Canton at the plate, while starting pitcher Hunter Moore earned the win by allowing two unearned runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and one walk in six innings.
Bowman doubled to score two runs in the third to give Bullard (12-16-1) a 2-0 lead before Brown's two-run single tied it in the fourth.
Colton Bowman suffered the loss for Bullard. The lefty allowed four runs (two earned) on two hits with seven strikeouts and five walks in 5 2/3 innings.
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Canton 4, Bullard 3
Class 4A Region II Area Playoff
At Mike Carter Field, Tyler
Bullard 002 000 1 -- 3 7 1
Canton 000 202 x -- 4 4 4
Pitchers and catchers
- Bullard: Colton Bowman, Jacob Johnson (6) and Jansen Mattingly.
- Canton: Hunter Moore, Simon Miller (7) and McGwire Martin.
WP -- Moore.
LP -- Bowman.
S -- Miller.
Doubles
- Bullard: Cleet Bowman.
- Canton: Zach Brown, Tyler Massey.
Triples
- Bullard: Johnson.